Malcolm White
@mfwhite2.bsky.social
Molecular microbiologist at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. My scientific interests include: CRISPR, antiviral defence, cyclic nucleotide signalling, archaea, nucleases.
Reposted by Malcolm White
Amazing piece of work from @rtoshiro.bsky.social
& Kim Seed at UC Berkeley. 🙌
Played a tiny role in this work.
Surviving phage attack dynamically regulates bacterial immunity to defeat counterdefenses
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
& Kim Seed at UC Berkeley. 🙌
Played a tiny role in this work.
Surviving phage attack dynamically regulates bacterial immunity to defeat counterdefenses
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
bsky.app
November 15, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Amazing piece of work from @rtoshiro.bsky.social
& Kim Seed at UC Berkeley. 🙌
Played a tiny role in this work.
Surviving phage attack dynamically regulates bacterial immunity to defeat counterdefenses
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
& Kim Seed at UC Berkeley. 🙌
Played a tiny role in this work.
Surviving phage attack dynamically regulates bacterial immunity to defeat counterdefenses
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Malcolm White
Our nuclease-protease story is out! We explored a fascinating case of coevolution and modularity in prokaryotic immune systems: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Recurrent acquisition of nuclease-protease pairs in antiviral immunity
Antiviral immune systems diversify by integrating new genes into existing pathways, creating new mechanisms of viral resistance. We identified genes encoding a predicted nuclease paired with a trypsin...
www.science.org
November 13, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Our nuclease-protease story is out! We explored a fascinating case of coevolution and modularity in prokaryotic immune systems: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
"incredibly humbled" is a phrase I'd hoped would have stayed over on X and not migrated to Bluesky.
November 13, 2025 at 5:15 PM
"incredibly humbled" is a phrase I'd hoped would have stayed over on X and not migrated to Bluesky.
Reposted by Malcolm White
📣 Calling all senior microbiology postdocs! The University of St Andrews is inviting applications from outstanding visionary Research Fellow and Future Leader candidates to attend a Biomolecular Science Fellowship Day. Applications due by 12th Dec, see link for full details: tinyurl.com/4n3na8vn
Exciting Opportunity: Biomolecular Science Fellowship Day
The School of Biology at the University of St Andrews is inviting applications from outstanding visionary Research Fellow and Future Leader candidates to attend the Biomolecular Science (BMS) Fello…
biology.st-andrews.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 9:57 AM
📣 Calling all senior microbiology postdocs! The University of St Andrews is inviting applications from outstanding visionary Research Fellow and Future Leader candidates to attend a Biomolecular Science Fellowship Day. Applications due by 12th Dec, see link for full details: tinyurl.com/4n3na8vn
Better to know, I guess - great work from the Hobbs lab @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
📣New preprint alert! We report the alarming finding that stringent response mutations found in clinical isolates increase the frequency of donation of multiresistance plasmids in S. aureus 😱 Great team effort @microclaire.bsky.social @paulrjohnston.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 13, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Better to know, I guess - great work from the Hobbs lab @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Thanks! It was a very enjoyable visit and I learned a lot!
Super seminar from @mfwhite2.bsky.social thank you for visiting us in Newcastle!
Brilliant to have Prof Malcolm White from the University of St Andrews giving a Newcastle University Biosciences Institute seminar (hosted by @heathmurraylab.bsky.social) #microbiology #phage #bacteriology
November 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Thanks! It was a very enjoyable visit and I learned a lot!
Thinking about your first steps to independent research? We'd love to hear from you. More details below, or contact me directly for details - reposts appreciated!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Biomolecular Science Fellowship Day - St Andrews, Fife (GB) job with UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS | 12848597
The School of Biology at the University of St Andrews is inviting applications from outstanding visionary Research Fellow and Future Leader candida...
www.nature.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Thinking about your first steps to independent research? We'd love to hear from you. More details below, or contact me directly for details - reposts appreciated!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
This is something that is within our power
‘Embrace non-profit publishing to tackle largest science crisis’.
Stockholm Declaration promotes shift to models encouraging high quality and restoration of trust.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
Stockholm Declaration promotes shift to models encouraging high quality and restoration of trust.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
‘Embrace non-profit publishing to tackle largest science crisis’ - Research Professional News
Stockholm Declaration promotes shift to models encouraging high quality and restoration of trust
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
This is something that is within our power
This has to be one of the most subtle signals activating a DS, it blows my mind that there are two different effectors capable of achieving this molecular recognition
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 6:52 AM
This has to be one of the most subtle signals activating a DS, it blows my mind that there are two different effectors capable of achieving this molecular recognition
Reposted by Malcolm White
Hi everyone, a few years ago, we started a list of labs studying bacterial immunty for students, editors, conference organizers... (currently n=79).
Update time ! Send me a message to 1) add your lab or others 2) Correct info
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
#Phagesky #Microsky
Update time ! Send me a message to 1) add your lab or others 2) Correct info
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
#Phagesky #Microsky
Labs in bacterial immunity
docs.google.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Hi everyone, a few years ago, we started a list of labs studying bacterial immunty for students, editors, conference organizers... (currently n=79).
Update time ! Send me a message to 1) add your lab or others 2) Correct info
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
#Phagesky #Microsky
Update time ! Send me a message to 1) add your lab or others 2) Correct info
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
#Phagesky #Microsky
Very cool.
Excited to share: DNA glycosylases are diverse antiviral effectors. They recognize phage base modifications and initiate genome destruction. A structure‑guided approach made the scope of this discovery possible! 🧪 #phagesky doi.org/10.1101/2025... #phage #microbiology
Antiviral Defence is a Conserved Function of Diverse DNA Glycosylases
Bacteria are frequently attacked by viruses, known as phages, and rely on diverse defence systems like restriction endonucleases and CRISPR-Cas to survive. While phages can evade these defences by cov...
doi.org
October 31, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Very cool.
Reposted by Malcolm White
I’m thrilled to share our Retron Eco8 paper published in Molecular Cell today. Thanks all Fu lab members and our collaborators.
👉Phage SSB detection by retron Eco8 msDNA unleashes nuclease-mediated immunity. www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
👉Phage SSB detection by retron Eco8 msDNA unleashes nuclease-mediated immunity. www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Phage SSB detection by retron Eco8 msDNA unleashes nuclease-mediated immunity
The cryo-EM structure of the retron Eco8 system reveals an autoinhibited 4:4:4 complex
of RT, msDNA, and OLD nuclease. Phage SSB binding to msdDNA unleashes non-specific
nuclease activity to restrict ...
www.cell.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:06 PM
I’m thrilled to share our Retron Eco8 paper published in Molecular Cell today. Thanks all Fu lab members and our collaborators.
👉Phage SSB detection by retron Eco8 msDNA unleashes nuclease-mediated immunity. www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
👉Phage SSB detection by retron Eco8 msDNA unleashes nuclease-mediated immunity. www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Malcolm White
Been working on a really strange retron bacterial immune system, here's the preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Type VI retrons are unlike any other. Phage infection triggers reverse transcription of a DNA fragment that activates translation of a toxin to kill the infected cell.
Type VI retrons are unlike any other. Phage infection triggers reverse transcription of a DNA fragment that activates translation of a toxin to kill the infected cell.
October 23, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Please tell me what I'm missing here (other than SRM):
October 22, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Please tell me what I'm missing here (other than SRM):
Reposted by Malcolm White
My home department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry at UC Irvine is looking to hire a new tenure-track assistant professor in the broad area of structural biology. Come be my colleague! recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09887
recruit.ap.uci.edu
October 16, 2025 at 5:07 PM
My home department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry at UC Irvine is looking to hire a new tenure-track assistant professor in the broad area of structural biology. Come be my colleague! recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09887
Reposted by Malcolm White
Perfect timing in the field for a beautiful review on NAD+ in bacterial immunity by @hugovaysset.bsky.social and @audeber.bsky.social @cp-molcell.bsky.social
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
October 16, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Perfect timing in the field for a beautiful review on NAD+ in bacterial immunity by @hugovaysset.bsky.social and @audeber.bsky.social @cp-molcell.bsky.social
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Rarely was an award more deserved
Congratulations to Philip J. Kranzusch, Ph.D., Professor of Cancer Immunology and Virology, who was one of three scientists awarded top honors at the 2025 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists.
Watch to learn more about his work: bit.ly/4pZUDkF
Watch to learn more about his work: bit.ly/4pZUDkF
October 9, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Rarely was an award more deserved
Reposted by Malcolm White
New preprint!
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Resistance mutation supply modulates the benefit of CRISPR immunity against virulent phages
Only a fraction of bacterial genomes encode CRISPR-Cas systems but the selective causes of this variation are unexplained. How naturally virulent bacteriophages (phages) select for CRISPR immunity has...
www.biorxiv.org
October 6, 2025 at 6:27 AM
New preprint!
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
My pleasure @erinedoherty.bsky.social and @benmorehouse.bsky.social - for me this was the stand-out discovery of the last year in the field
And thanks to @mfwhite2.bsky.social for this great perspective on both works! www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Bacteria use a decoy defence molecule to set a trap for viruses
Some bacterial-infecting viruses use ‘sponges’ to mop up defence molecules, but bacteria can fight back by responding when a sponge captures decoy molecules.
www.nature.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:06 AM
My pleasure @erinedoherty.bsky.social and @benmorehouse.bsky.social - for me this was the stand-out discovery of the last year in the field
Reposted by Malcolm White
Our story describing the Panoptes bacterial immune defense system is now finally peer-reviewed and published today! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The Panoptes system uses decoy cyclic nucleotides to defend against phage - Nature
The Panoptes antiphage system defends bacteria by detecting phage-encoded counter-defences that sequester cyclic nucleotide signals, triggering membrane disruption and highlighting a broader strategy of sensing immune evasion through second-messenger surveillance.
www.nature.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Our story describing the Panoptes bacterial immune defense system is now finally peer-reviewed and published today! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Malcolm White
Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature
Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.
www.nature.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Malcolm White
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Malcolm White
Do notions like “programmed #cell death” (PCD) and the endogenous–exogenous death distinction apply to microbes? In our new chapter, we argue that an evolutionary concept of PCD extends across the tree of life, including microbial taxa 👇📃 link.springer.com/chapter/10.1... #evosky #HPbio #philsci 🦠 🔬
September 22, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Do notions like “programmed #cell death” (PCD) and the endogenous–exogenous death distinction apply to microbes? In our new chapter, we argue that an evolutionary concept of PCD extends across the tree of life, including microbial taxa 👇📃 link.springer.com/chapter/10.1... #evosky #HPbio #philsci 🦠 🔬
Reposted by Malcolm White
Looking for a new approach to studying or eliminating phages? Check out our study introducing anti-phage ASOs (antisense oligos) out in @Nature today. nature.com/articles/s4158…
September 10, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Looking for a new approach to studying or eliminating phages? Check out our study introducing anti-phage ASOs (antisense oligos) out in @Nature today. nature.com/articles/s4158…
Reposted by Malcolm White
AI could be used for REF, says Royal Society president.
The president of the Royal Society has suggested that artificial intelligence could ease the burden placed on academics by the Research Excellence Framework and peer review.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
The president of the Royal Society has suggested that artificial intelligence could ease the burden placed on academics by the Research Excellence Framework and peer review.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
AI could be used for REF, says Royal Society president - Research Professional News
Research Excellence Framework is “not best use of human brainpower”, Adrian Smith tells Lords committee
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
September 10, 2025 at 9:29 AM
AI could be used for REF, says Royal Society president.
The president of the Royal Society has suggested that artificial intelligence could ease the burden placed on academics by the Research Excellence Framework and peer review.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
The president of the Royal Society has suggested that artificial intelligence could ease the burden placed on academics by the Research Excellence Framework and peer review.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...